21 Iowans named to Iowa Corn Leadership

November 25, 2012

JOHNSTON, Iowa - The first meeting of the new Iowa Corn Leadership Enhancement And Development (I-LEAD) class (6) was held at the Iowa Corn office on November 8-9, 2012. The class consists of current farmers, agribusiness and governmental emerging leaders from across the state.

"The number of highly qualified applicants was outstanding," said Bob Hemesath, an ICGA farmer director and chair of the committee that oversees the program. "This class represents the top future leaders that exist here in Iowa and I am looking forward to being a part of their two-year leadership adventure."

The Iowa Corn I-LEAD program was developed and is sponsored by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) and the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) in recognition that the future of Iowa agriculture depends on developing leaders who have a passion for agriculture. The goal of the two-year program is to provide Iowa's talented men and women with the tools they need to succeed as leaders and spokespeople. The first session included leadership style learning and team building. Other session will include commodity information, a domestic agricultural mission and policy information. The class may choose to fundraise for an international mission to their location of choice in the second year before graduation. More than 100 leaders have graduated from the I-LEAD program and many have gone onto leadership roles within the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board or other community or commodity organizations.

Participants in I-LEAD Class IV, selected through an application and interview process, include: